


Attractive Nuisance

by pickleplum



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Adolescent Sexuality, Alternate Universe - Wings, Asexual Character, Asexuality, Athene Noctua Verse, Awkward Conversations, Awkwardness, Brotherhood, Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Bonding, Brothers, Embarrassment, Gen, Sexual Orientation, Sexuality, Teasing, Video & Computer Games
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-26
Updated: 2016-08-26
Packaged: 2018-08-11 02:00:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7871248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pickleplum/pseuds/pickleplum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bastien turns to Hermann with his fears about being different from his friends.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Attractive Nuisance

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Aces](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1711721) by [pickleplum](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pickleplum/pseuds/pickleplum). 



> 19 April 2007  
> Berlin, Germany

\- these veggies really stick to your fridge! (04/02/17, Lima) -

Father hasn't returned from his office hours yet, so Bastien decides it's time. He drops the video game controller onto the floor, takes a deep breath, swivels on his sofa cushion to face Manny, says, „Can we talk a moment?“

Manny sets his textbook aside. „Of course.“

„Right. So ... today Sofie and Anaïs and Marko spent **all** of lunchtime talking about how they want to marry these movie stars that make their hearts all fluttery and their heads go light when they see them so they could kiss and have sex—“ Stops for breath. „—and I just don't get it.“

„What don't you understand?“

„Why anyone would want to kiss and have sex. I mean, what's the point?“

Manny blinks a few times, says slowly, „Well, people really like that fluttery, light-headed feeling that they get from thinking about or actually kissing or having sex.“

„Do **you** like that feeling?“

Manny's face turns bright pink and he ducks his head. „I do.“

„And Edan gives you that feeling?“

„He does,“ croaks Manny.

„Do you think Dee feels like that about Sabine?“

„I'm sure he does.“

Bastien chews his lip.

Manny waits.

„When did you start having that feeling?“

Manny checks his memory. „I think I was a little younger than you are now.“

„Is that the normal age?“

„I think so?“

Bastien picks at the hem of his t-shirt, stomach going flippy-floppy. „Is something wrong with me that I never have?“

Manny takes a deep breath. „I don't think there's anything wrong with you.“

Bastien relaxes. „You don't?“

Manny shakes his head. „I've done some reading and there's this, uh ... sexual orientation called 'asexuality'. People who are asexual don't feel sexual attraction to anyone.“

Bastien suddenly feels lighter. „Like me?“

„Like you.“ Smiles reassurance. „The articles also say that orientations are fluid; maybe someday you'll start feeling attraction like Sofie, Anaïs, and Marko do, or maybe you'll only be attracted to **really** good friends, or maybe only on really rare occasions.“

„And they're all normal?“

„They're less ... common, but they all exist in other people.“ Manny smiles his crooked smile. „The set of asexual people is likely much larger than the one for people with wings.“

„Then think how small the set of asexual winged people must be!“

Manny snorts a laugh.

Bastien grins, then sobers. „Is it still normal if I like the, uh ... to, um ....“ Mimes.

Manny goes very pink again and he clears his throat. „Yes ... it's about the **attraction** , not the, um, act.“

Bastien smiles, relieved.

„I can see one major drawback to asexuality for you, though.“

„What's that?“

„You're going to have to explain this to all the girls and boys who want to kiss and have sex with you when you don't seem 'properly' interested in them.“

Bastien blinks rapidly, squeals, „Oh my **god** , that's going to get soooooo **old**!“ Then he flops himself off the sofa.

„I'm sure you'll survive. Somehow,“ drawls Manny.

Bastien pops his head back above the cushions. „Speaking of survival, wanna play _Mario Kart_?“

Manny raises an eyebrow. „Are you hoping I've gotten rusty?“

„I don't need **hope** ,“ sniffs Bastien. „I've been **practicing**.“

„We'll see how much good that's done you. Pass me a controller.“

**Author's Note:**

> Photo by [Karen](https://www.flickr.com/photos/misbehave/) [[CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)] via [Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/misbehave/2827396380/in/photolist-5iR9rs-34Jof-6e3htK-avLhS5-efWH1N-aJrmii-ciWdhj-75tzYN-frBoz-84XGcF-atjEzK-ktrF7-efQWK2-dnmNsg-7Zn3qv-eKM8Qy-82d4FL-65pYdM-rKg7c-efbikn-7YWdoB-7YZzim-2XSEK9-fCiqqW-7ZRXGd-9g9mX-62GZsv-qDeUsi-JsQda-84MeR5-4Jdj5-7XLhwT-81FxpK-81vCeJ-63VteQ-82qYao-nqQDPS-85zNT3-5HPEYo-4yfuVS-697JKw-7Zd86f-83GQu2-81XUPq-pwaMzx-fmscwY-ugDnb-dxHzLw-ugECE-7wSaQw).
> 
> Beta'd by the beautiful artificiallifecreator!
> 
> This is the new and improved "[Aces](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1711721)" which, hopefully, reflects a better understanding of how asexuality _actually_ works. Bastien's not averse to sex, but he's not going to see an attractive person and think, "Wow, I'd really like to have sex with them."


End file.
